Component vertical mounting

ABSTRACT

A circuit component arrangement includes a base and a plurality of circuit components mounted to the base. A bonding agent adheres the circuit components in intimate contact to the base. The bonding agent is disposed in a respective open channel defined in an outward facing surface of the base in contact with each of the circuit components. A method of assembling a circuit component arrangement includes temporarily fastening a plurality of circuit components to a base. A bonding agent is injected into a respective open channel defined in the base to adhere each of the plurality of circuit components to the base. The plurality of circuit components are unfastened from the base. Injecting a bonding agent can include ceasing injection of bonding agent upon appearance of bonding agent in a window opening in fluid communication with the open channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to electrical components such as thosemounted to printed wiring boards (PWBs), and more particularly tomounting such components such as to PWBs or the like.

2. Description of Related Art

Circuit Card Assemblies (CCAs) are used in computers, such as aircraftcomputers. It is desirable to minimize overall size of such computers,so a key design practice is to maximally utilize CCA area while stillmanaging thermal and structural aspects of the design appropriately. Forexample, power regulating components require thermal management andtypically utilize large areas on the PWB of the CCA. Traditionalmounting methods require specific fasteners and electrical isolationtechniques to avoid shorting of the part body to the PWB or othercomponents mounted to the PWB.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for theirintended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improvedcomponent mounting. This disclosure provides a solution for this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A circuit component arrangement includes a base and a plurality ofcircuit components mounted to the base. An injectable bonding agent,e.g., a thermal bonding agent, adheres the circuit components inintimate contact to the base. The bonding agent is disposed in arespective open channel defined in an outward facing surface of the basein contact with each of the circuit components.

The channel can include an inlet passage passing from a surface of thebase in fluid communication with the open channel for filling thebonding agent into the open channel. The inlet passage can have anopening defined on a surface of the base adjacent the outward facingsurface in which the open channel is defined. The inlet passage candefine an internal flow passage. The internal flow passage can have asmaller flow area than that of the open channel.

The open channel can be in fluid communication with a window openingdefined in a surface of the base. The window opening can be visible forconfirmation that the open channel is filled with bonding agent with acircuit component pressed against the open channel. The window openingcan be defined on the outward facing surface of the base in which theopen channel is defined. The window opening can be at a terminus of theopen channel. The window opening can have a smaller channel width thanthat of the open channel.

The circuit components can have a width extending in a longitudinaldirection along the base, and a height perpendicular to the width thatis greater than the width for mounting the circuit components to aplanar circuit card assembly (CCA) vertically relative to a planedefined by the CCA. The circuit components can include transistorsarranged in a horizontally (e.g., along the plane of the CCA) tiledpattern along the base. The base can include two opposes sides, eachhaving a plurality of circuit components mounted thereto, withrespective open channels and bonding agent adhering the circuitcomponents to the base.

A method of assembling a circuit component arrangement includestemporarily fastening a plurality of circuit components to a base. Abonding agent is injected into a respective open channel defined in thebase to adhere each of the plurality of circuit components to the base.Any fasteners that temporarily fastened the circuit components to thebase are removed. Injecting a bonding agent can include injecting thebonding agent through an inlet opening into each respective openchannel. Injecting a bonding agent can include ceasing injection ofbonding agent upon appearance of bonding agent in a window opening influid communication with the open channel.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subjectdisclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following detailed description of the preferred embodimentstaken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosureappertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices andmethods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation,preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein belowwith reference to certain figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an exemplaryembodiment of a circuit component arrangement constructed in accordancewith the present disclosure, showing multiple components mounted to abase vertically relative to a plane defined by the circuit card assembly(CCA); and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the component arrangement of FIG. 1, showingcircuit components mounted on opposed sides of the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like referencenumerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subjectdisclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and notlimitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a circuitcomponent arrangement in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG.1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Otherembodiments of circuit component arrangements in accordance with thedisclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIG. 2, as will bedescribed. The systems and methods described herein can be used tovertically mount circuit components to printed wiring boards (PWBs) toform circuit card assemblies (CCAs) or the like with improved formfactor compared to traditional arrangements, while providing superiorthermal management.

Circuit component arrangement 100 includes a base 102 and a plurality ofcircuit components 104 mounted to the base 102. A thermally conductiveinjectable thermal bonding agent 106 adheres the circuit components 104in intimate thermal contact to the base 102 so base 102 can serve as aheat sink or thermal pathway to a heat sink for circuit components 104.The thermal bonding agent 106 is disposed in a respective open channel108 defined in an outward facing surface 110 of the base 102 in contactwith each of the circuit components 104. Each channel 108 is defines alabyrinthine bond path, e.g., a U-shaped path. While only one of theopen channels 108 is shown in FIG. 1, it is to be understood that asimilar open channel 108 is provided for each circuit component 104.

Each channel 108 includes an inlet passage 112 passing from top surface114 of the base 102. Each inlet passage 112 is in fluid communicationwith the respective open channel 108 for filling the thermal bondingagent 106 into the open channel 108. Each inlet passage 112 has anopening 116 defined top surface 114 of the base 102 adjacent the outwardfacing surface 110 in which the open channel 108 is defined. The inletpassage 112 defines an internal flow passage for thermal bonding agent106 to flow during assembly. The internal flow passage has a smallerflow area than that of the open channel 108.

The open channel 108 is in fluid communication with a window opening 118defined in surface 110 of the base 102. The window 118 is visible to theside of each circuit component 104 for confirmation that the openchannel 108 is filled with thermal bonding agent 106 with the circuitcomponent 104 pressed against the open channel 108. The window opening118 is defined on the outward facing surface 110 of the base 102 inwhich the open channel 108 is defined. The window opening 118 is at aterminus of the open channel 108. The window opening 118 has a smallerchannel width than that of the open channel 108. Bond agent 106 whenvisible in window opening 118 serves as a visual indication that theopen channel 108 is adequately filled with bonding agent 106.

The circuit components can have a width W extending in a longitudinaldirection along the base (i.e., along longitudinal axis A in FIG. 1),and a height H perpendicular to the width that is greater than the width(H>W) for mounting the circuit components 104 to a planar circuit cardassembly (CCA) 10 with the circuit components 104 oriented verticallyrelative to the plane defined by the CCA 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Height H(where height is in the vertical direction relative to the plane definedby CCA as shown in FIG. 1) is similarly greater than thickness T of thecircuit card assemblies orthogonal to height H and width W, so thelargest dimension of the circuit components 104 is ultimatelyperpendicular to the plane of CCA 10. The circuit components 104 includetransistors arranged in a horizontally (along the plane defined by CCA10) tiled pattern along the base 102, however, those skilled in the artwill readily appreciate that any other suitable type of circuitcomponents can be used without departing from the scope of thisdisclosure.

With reference now to FIG. 2, the base 102 includes two opposes sides120 and 122, each having a plurality of circuit components 104 mountedthereto, with respective open channels 108 and thermal bonding agentadhering the circuit components to the base (as shown in FIG. 1). Thoseskilled in the art will readily appreciate that circuit components 104can be mounted on only a single side of a base, e.g., by omitting thecircuit components 104 on side 122 of base 102, without departing fromthe scope of this disclosure. Moreover, those skilled in the art willreadily appreciate that while four circuit components 104 are shown oneach side of base 102, any suitable number of components can be gangedon base 102 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

A method of assembling a circuit component arrangement, e.g., circuitcomponent arrangement 100, includes temporarily fastening a plurality ofcircuit components, e.g., circuit components 104, to a base, e.g., base102. This can be accomplished using a respective fastener such asfastener 124 of FIG. 1 to secure each circuit component temporarily tothe base through the bores 126 and 128. Bore 128 serves as a firstcomponent locating feature, and ridge 130 defined in outward facingsurface 110 defines a second component locating feature to help ensureproper positioning of each circuit component 104. A bonding agent, e.g.,thermal bonding agent 106, is injected into a respective open channel,e.g., open channel 108, defined in the base to adhere each of theplurality of circuit components to the base. The plurality of circuitcomponents are unfastened from the base, e.g. by removing the fastenersleaving the circuit components adhered to the base by the bonding agentto reduce weight and/or bulk such as in aerospace applications.Injecting a bonding agent can include injecting the bonding agentthrough an inlet opening, e.g., inlet openings 116, into each respectiveopen channel. Injecting a bonding agent can include ceasing injection ofbonding agent upon appearance of bonding agent in a window opening,e.g., window openings 118, in fluid communication with the open channel.

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described aboveand shown in the drawings, provide for circuit component assemblies withsuperior properties including vertical mounting with effective heatsinking/thermal management. While the apparatus and methods of thesubject disclosure have been shown and described with reference topreferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciatethat change and/or modification may be made thereto without departingfrom the scope of the subject disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A circuit component arrangement comprising: abase; the base having a top surface; an inlet opening is on the topsurface; at least one circuit component mounted to the base; and aninjectable bonding agent adhering the at least one circuit component inintimate thermal contact to the base, wherein the bonding agent isdisposed in a respective open channel formed as a groove in an outwardfacing surface of the base in contact with each of the at least onecircuit component, wherein the inlet opening is in fluid communicationwith the respective open channel, wherein the open channel is in fluidcommunication with a window opening in a surface of the base, whereinthe window opening is visible for confirmation that the open channel isfilled with bonding agent with the at least one circuit componentpressed against the open channel.
 2. A circuit component arrangement asrecited in claim 1, wherein the window opening is defined on the outwardfacing surface of the base in which the open channel is defined.
 3. Acircuit component arrangement as recited in claim 2, wherein the windowopening is at a terminus of the open channel.
 4. A circuit componentarrangement as recited in claim 2, wherein the window opening has asmaller channel width than that of the open channel.